Electromechanical master interlock for elevators



ELECTROMECHANICAL MASTER INTERLOCK FOR ELEVATORS Filed July 7. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W/ M, M 9

fig Kb WMM.

Patented Oct. 13, 1925.

STATES CLIFFORD NORTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO GRAHAM (5r, NORTON COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

ELECTROIMECHANICAL MASTER INTERLOOK FOR ELEVATOR-S.

Application filed July 7,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLIFFORD NORT N, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electron'icchanical Master Interlocks for Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of elevator control mechanisms wherein the doors at the several floors or landings and the elevator are interlocked in such a manner that when the door is opened and so long as it remains open the movement of the elevator is rendered impossible through the operation of control devices brought into action automatically through the operation of the mechanism at each landing employed in the act of opening and closing the landing door.

In the usual construction said control device consists of an interlocking electric switch employed at each landing and interposed in a circuit of the electric power controller in such a manner that the application of the motive power for moving the elevator is made dependent upon the position of the switch and the positionof the switch in turn is made dependent upon the position of the door or door-actuating mechanism or some device associated therewith and necessarily employed in the act of opening or closing the door.

My invention relates to a control system employing an electric interlock or control switch governing the application of motive power to the car and common to the several landing or stopping places for said car, a line mechanically connected with said switch to operate the same and extending past all the landing positions and means for actuating said line automatically in the operation of opening any one of said landing doors.

The invention consists in special combinations and constructions of apparatus for pro ducing a quick and certain operation of the line and switch by the act of opening the door-as more particularly hereinafter described and claimed.

My invention also consists of a safety device which acts automatically in case of breakage of the line to render an operating circuit of the elevator inoperative.

In carrying out the invention the line may 1923. Serial No. 650,043.

be a strip, band, cord, wire rod or other device but preferably I employ a steel band or ribbon. Associated with said line at each landing are means for mechanically operating on the same, such for instance as a button on the line and a lever adapted to engage the button to operate the switch, said mechanism being actuated by the movement of a latch, lock or other device associated with the door and necessarily operated in order to permit the same to be moved. As a preferred way of carrying out the invention, said line-operating device is directly actuated by a connection with a lever forming a part of the door-actuating devices as will be hereinafter more particularly described.

The invention consists further in the details of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a general side elevation showing two of a number of elevator well doors and connected interlocking switch combined according to my invention, the doors being both shown in closed position.

Fig. 2 shows the same parts with one of the doors opened.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a modified construction of line-actuating device adapted to be operated by the door-actuating mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same de vice.

Fig. 5 illustrates the manner in which the connections with the switch will be modified in case a device such as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is employed.

1 indicates an electric switch forming the interlocking switch of my invention. As typical of the switch employed for the purpose of controlling the application of the motive power to the elevator or car, I have shown a form of switch described in another application filed by me February 2nd 1923, Serial No. 616,485, and comprising essentially two pivoted contact members 2 and 2 adapted to engage one another by spring pressure to close the circuit and adapted to be separated to break the circuit by the interposition of a reciprocating blocker slab 3 of insulating material, such for instance as some form of bakelite. The controlled circuit wires are connected to said pivoted members 2 and 2', as indicated, said control circuit being one of any desired nature, as well understood in the art, which controls the application of the motive power by making and breaking a circuit of the power controllers employed in controlling the move ment of the elevator under the application of the motive power of an electric or other motor. Inasmuch as the manner of connection of this switch and its manner of operation are now well known in the art, it need not be further here described.

The stem or red carrying the plunger or block 8 is cohnected, as shown, by a link or other means 4, with an operating lever 5. The switch and its operating parts may be located and properly supported at the head of the elevator shaft or terminus of the movement of the elevator or at any other intermediate point, as desired, suitable modification being made in the latter instance in the manner of connecting the line to the operating devices and the switch itself.

The line indicated at 6 is suitably connected directly to the operating lever 5 of the switch by a positive unyielding connection and extends past all the elevator landings. A weight or other suitable device 7 may be employed keeping the line under tension and preventing it from buckling. Another weight or other retracting device indicated at 8 is applied to the switch itself and gives to the same a constant bias tending to restore the same to normal aosition and hold it in such position when the exit door is closed and the line 6 is relieved. of pull. Said retracting device 8 is superior in power to the weight of the line 6 and weight 7 so as to effectually counteract the latter weight and insure positive movement of the switch in returning to normal position or position for rendering the control or motive power circuits of the motor operative.

Opposite each landing the line may be provided with a button or projection 9 se curely fastened thereto and adapted to be engaged by an actuating device at each landing, of any desired nature, such for instance as lever 10 having an eye or hook at one end through which the line passes and engaged with or adapted to engage with the button. The several elevator landing doors are indicated at 11. Each is shown provided with an operating device comprising a pair of toggle levers 12 and 12 jointed at 13. One of them is pivotally connected with the sliding door and. the other is pivotally supported on a fixed bracket 14 at the side of the elevator shaft in the usual way. An operating arm 15 extends from one of said levers to permit the attendant on the car to move the door backwardly to position to open the exit and entrance to the car.

Movement in the opposite direction may be imparted to the door from a doorelosing device indicated at 16, and consisting of a door-closing spring and connected dashpot operating on an arm 12 of the toggle by a pivotal connection therewith by means of the spring in which door-closing power is stored by the manual act of opening the same, as well understood in the art.

A link pivotally connectedto one of the toggle arms 12, preferably the fixed toggle arm, at one end and at the other pivotally connected to the line-operating lever or device 10, is shown at 17. Vhen the toggle is broken in the act of opening the door, a in quick upward thrust is imparted to the link 17 and a positive, quick movement 13 m1- parted to the actuating mechanism of the line to overcome the bias of the switch by the positive action of said link and thereby if throwing the switch into such position as to render it impossible to apply the motive power and move the car.

The position of the parts when one door is opened is indicated in Fig. 2 which shows the upper door open, the lower door and other doors in the well being at such time closed. IV hen the door is thrown back to closed position by the door-closer 16 and associated mechanism, such as levers 12 and 12, or by other means, the link 17 moves the line-actuating device 10 to restore it to the position indicated in Fig. l and the switch then moves back to normal position, shown in Fig. 1, the line and its attached buttons or other devices being at such time brought back to operative relation with the actuating devices 10 at all the landings by the weight 8 or other retracting device ready to act on the opening movement of any other door. In place of the pivoted actuating member 10 it is sometimes desirable to cum ploy a guided reciprocating member operable from the door-closing and opening mechanism, for which purpose I provide the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 1. In these figures the arm 12 of the door-closer is shown as a double arm provided with a stud projecting from one side thereof and bearing a roller 18. A pair of cross-heads 19 connected to one another by connection 20 slide and are guided on the square guide rod 21. Said guide is properly secured to a frame or plate which may be the support plate for the fixed abutment or fixed pivot of the toggle arm 12. The guided cross heads carry the lateral projection which embraces the line 6 and is disposed beneath the button or projection 9, as shown, so that, as the guided cross-heads or member are lifted, the line will be pulled upwardly. The actuating member as thus constructed and operating is provided at its lower end with a rail or plate 24: on which the roller 8 rides when the door is thrown back, thereiii") by lifting the crossheads and connected parts to pull up on the line and operate the switch.

\Vhen the parts are thus disposed it is preferable to arrange the switch at the bottom of the elevator well as indicated in Fig. 5, the line in this instance being connected on the same side of the pivotal member with the link connection 4. A suitabletension device such as a spring may be applied to the 'upper end of the line, as shown in Fig. 5.

lVhile for purposes of illustration I have shown my invention as applied to a door of the hand-operated type, it is obvious that it is equally applicable in substantially the same manner to the power-operated type operated by pneumatic or other power.

Likewise it is evident that instead of a system of toggle levers connected to the door any other system or arrangement of levers or mechanism for moving the door when actuated by hand or other power might be employed without departing from my invention.

In connection with the devices described an additional safety device is employed which acts as an interlock in case, through breakage of the line, there should be a failure or inability to operate the interlock 1, in the normal manner already described. This safety device may be an electric interlock of the same character and function as the device 1 and as indicated at 30. Conveniently it may operate upon the same circuit as switch 1 by having its circuit closer included in the circuit of 1 so as to normally complete the interlock circuit, whereby the devices already described may function in the intended manner.

The operating member of said switch is connected with a lever 31 and is normally held by a weight or spring in position such that the interlock circuit for 1 is completed. In case the line 6 should break said line will drop below its normal range of action, the weight 7 or other device, such for instance as a but-ton carried by the line and arranged above the lever, will operatively engage the lever and throw the switch 30 thus breaking the control circuit and rendering it impossible to apply the motive power until normal conditions are restored.

What. I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination with elevator well doors on the different floors of a building, of a door closer in which power is stored in the act of opening the door, a toggle joint connection between the door and door closer, an electric interlock switch common to the door, means giving to said switch a constant bias tending to restore and hold the same in normal position, a line extending from said switch directly and positively past the doors and positively connected to the switch by a direct unyielding connection, a lever at each door adapted to engage a projection on the line to exert a pull on the line and operate the switch and a link connecting an arm of the toggle with said lever.

2. In an electric interlock for elevators, the combination of a master electric switch, a line running from the same past the elevator well doors and connected directly and positively with said switch at one end, means applied at the opposite end of the line for keeping said line normally under tension, a lever one arm of which is provided with a yoke or eye through which the line extends, a projection on the line for engagement by each .eye or yoke and means connecting the door with said lever to cause the line to -ex ert a positive and direct pull on the switch when the door is moved.

3. In an electric interlock for elevators, the combination of a master interlocking electric switch, elevator well doors to which said switch is common, a line connected by a direct mechanical connection to the switch and extending vertically past the doors, means applied to the line at one end to keep the same under tension, a retracting device applied to the switch and giving the same a bias tending to restore the same and hold it in normal position and acting on the line with a superior power in the opposite direction to that of the means keeping the line under tension, toggle joint levers connected with each door to close the same and means connected with a link of the toggle and acting directly on the line when the toggle is broken to exert a pull on the same to operate the switch by a direct positive pull through the line to overcome the bias.

4. The combination with a series of elevator well doors, of a toggle joint one arm of which is mounted on a fixed support while the other is pivotally connected to the door, a door closing spring and connected dashpot operating on the toggle to close the door, a master switch common to the doors, a line connected therewith directly at one end, means applied to an opposite end of the line to keep the same under tension, a lever at each landing directly engaging a button on the line and exerting a positive pull thereon and a link connecting the fixedly pivoted toggle member with said lever for exerting a positive action on the switch superior to the bias thereof through said lever and line.

5. The combination with a series of elevator well doors, of a toggle joint one arm of which is mounted on a fixed sup-port while the other is pivotally connected to the door, a door closing spring and connected dash pot operating on the toggle to close the door, a master switch common to the doors, a line connected with said switch at the upper end of the line by a positive unyielding connection, means for giving to the switch a constant bias superior to the weight of the line to restore the same to and hold it in normal position, means at each landing adapted to engage and exert a direct and positive downward pull on the line and a link connecteddirectly at one end with the fixedly pivoted toggle member and connected directly at its opposite end with said means to cause a direct, positive pull on the line superior to the bias of the switch to throw said switch positively.

6. The combination of a series of landing doors, an interlock switch operatively connected to a line extending past the land ings, means ateach landing for exerting a pull on the line to operate said switch and a safety switch in operative relation to said line and actuated thereby in case of breakage of the line and movement thereof: beyond its normal range of action in operating the interlock switch.

7. In an elevator control mechanism, the combination of an interlock switch, a line connected therewith and extending past the elevator landings, means at each landing adapted to operate on said line to throw the switch and prevent application of the motive power and a supplemental switch operated by said line on breakage and movement thereof beyond the normal range.

8. The combination with an interlock switch, a vseries of car landings and doors therefor, a line normally connected to the switch, means at each landing adapted to exert a pull on the line to operate said switch and a safety switch normally disconnected from the line but adapted to be operatively engaged and thrown by the line in case of breakage thereof.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 6th day of July A. D. 1923.

CLIFFORD NORTON. 

